


Beekeeper

by whirlmart



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), mcyt
Genre: Angst, Emotional Manipulation, Explicit Language, Gaslighting, Gen, Gore, Horns, Hurt/Comfort, L’Manburg, Manipulative Relationship, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Rituals, The Festival, Toby Smith | Tubbo Needs a Hug, Tubbo Centric, Tubbo gets horns, and wings, only at some parts, technoblade never dies, tubbo is straight up not having a good time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 10:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27469327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whirlmart/pseuds/whirlmart
Summary: A heart of gold, tarnished by the filthy hands of the cruel. Tubbo was a prime example of that.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot
Comments: 62
Kudos: 374





	1. This Loneliness Won’t Go Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo remembers the events of the election, and spends time with Schlatt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> theme song for this book:
> 
> Beekeeper - Keaton Henson

It was supposed to be like a fairytale.

Tubbo, naïve as he was, believed wholeheartedly that there was no way anyone else could’ve won. It just wasn’t possible for any other ending in his mind.

It was supposed to be like a fairytale. They had vanquished the evil, and the heroes in the books Wilbur had read to him always had happy endings. They were supposed to be living happily together in the walls that they had created, on the land that they had bled on, killed on, built on.

So when Wilbur read out the true results of the election, declaring Schlatt as the president of the country that they had fought so hard for, Tubbo didn’t believe it, despite having seeing it with his own eyes.

And as the devil walked on to the stage, the country’s eyes watching him, it was only fitting that the first words he uttered were: “That was pretty easy.”

Tubbo’s expression changed from hopeful to horrified in only a matter of seconds as he listened to the man in the suit continue his speech.

”And y’know what I said, the day I arrived back on these lands?” His words hung in the air, while the citizens of the country waited with bated breath.

Tubbo’s white and brown feathered wings shuffled, his discomfort making itself clear. A gentle but grounding hand gripped his shoulder, his revolutionary attire suddenly feeling suffocating.

“I said things are gonna change.”

The goat hybrid’s eyes focused on someone behind the boy, and it was just in Tubbo’s nature to follow where his eyes lead.

Wilbur stared up at the newly elected president with grit teeth. Tubbo tried to meet his gaze, but it was nailed on to the man who stood atop the podium. Venom lingered in both of their eyes.

“I looked every citizen of L’manburg in the eyes and I said you listen to me,” Schlatt was the one who broke the cold stare shared between him and Wilbur, instead fixing on the citizens in the crowd.

”This place will be a lot different tomorrow.”

As Schlatt’s gaze swept over him, it was as if a chill had as well. The boy felt the need to run every time those darkened eyes lingered on him for longer than he was comfortable with.

He avoided the president’s gaze with all his might, instead turning to look at Tommy, who’s fist was clenched in quiet terror and frustration.

“Let’s start making it happen,” the man’s smirk widened, and he spared a glance and Quackity and George. Tubbo noticed Quackity’s poorly hidden joy, George’s quiet smile.

“What are you-“ Tubbo began nervously, attempting to lock away the fear that slipped in to his tone. But by his shaky voice, his nervousness, he fooled nobody.

Tommy spoke anxiously behind him, “Wilbur, are you sure?-“

”My first decree,” Schlatt’s booming voice drowned out the quiet words below him.

”As the president of L’manburg, the _Emperor_ , of this _great_ country!” The goat hybrid leaned forward, danger in his voice. Every bone in Tubbo’s body told him to run.

Tommy’s voice became more frantic behind him. “Wil, surely not, Wil-“

“Is to _revoke_ the citizenship of Wilbur Soot, and Tommy Innit!”

Tubbo’s blood ran cold.

Cries of protest rang out from the citizens below. Niki’s screams rang in his ears, Wilbur’s gasp of shock, Tommy’s fearful and hateful words.

Tubbo scrambled through the crowd to get to his best friend, to catch a glimpse of the two through the crowd of cruel people holding crossbows and demanding their heads to please their new ruler.

The boy spotted the two exiled men disappear around the corner of a building, the end of an arrow sticking out from Wilbur’s shoulder. One step, two steps, three steps..

And then they were gone.

Groups of guards chased after the pair, the release of a crossbow arrow ringing out. Tubbo slipped away throughout the chaos, his wings spreading open. But even Tubbo knew that at his age, they were far too small to carry him in to the skies.

His heart pounded as he searched for the two, his mind filled with questions and fear and worry. His shoes thumped against the dirt as he ran.

”Until further notice, Wilbur Soot, and Tommy Innit, are merely a memory of L’manburg. A relic of the past,”

The mic that projected the president’s voice reached the boy’s ears, even if he was far away. He wished he could just block it out.

“A reminder of the _darkest_ era this country has ever seen, and I guarantee you all, dear citizens,”

Each word the hybrid spoke was another wound in Tubbo’s heart.

“Tonight.. that changes. We’re entering in to a new period of L’manburg, a period of _prosperity,_ of strength _,_ of _unity!”_

“ _Tommy!_ Tommy, where are you?” He cried out, receiving no answer. Tubbo wondered if he was already dead, before shoving that thought away and burying it.

There was a pause of silence in Schlatt’s speech.

”Where’s Tubbo?”

Tubbo swallowed thickly at the mention of his name, and he looked between the forest and the podium in front of it.

He had no choice but to say something. Tubbo ran uneasily back.

“I-I’m right here.” Both Quackity and Schlatt turned to look down at him on the right, beside the podium. Schlatt’s dangerous eyes bore in to his own, and dismay ran through him.

“Get up here! Get up here on my podium!” The president’s voice had a sweet tone to it, like he didn’t just banish Tubbo’s closest friends from the country. It made him sick to his stomach.

And as he took each careful step on to the stairs leading up to the podium, he pondered all of the instances that led up to this election.

_One,_

The war for their independence, Eret’s betrayal,

_Two, three,_

Tommy’s duel with Dream, the trading of the disks that they held so dear to themselves,

_Four,_

Wilbur’s kind and determined eyes as he lead the country, the only candidate Tubbo thought would win,

_Five, six,_

Quiet words shared between him and Tommy under the veil of night, Tubbo pointing out the constellations he saw in the sky,

_Seven, eight,_

Quackity’s declaration to endorse Schlatt, Schlatt’s deceiving eyes as he looked upon a country he didn’t see equal to himself,

_Nine,_

Tommy and Tubbo sitting on the bench, laughter heard from both of the children as Tommy asked to eat the pufferfish Tubbo had given him,

_Ten._

Schlatt’s powerful voice as he banished Tommy and Wilbur from the land they had fought so hard to keep.

Tubbo stood atop the podium, not daring to meet the goat hybrid’s eyes. He huffed as Quackity pat him on the wing as an act of camaraderie, the sensitive wings shying away from the hand as he shot the Vice President a glare.

 _This is your fault,_ Tubbo wanted to scream at him, _Is it too much to ask for us to be happy?_

Tubbo was wrenched forward as a clawed hand wrapped around his wrist, the claws digging painfully in to the flesh underneath the hand. Schlatt ignored the boy’s obvious pain and discomfort, instead pulling him shoulder-to-hip.

”Oh, Tubbo. My very own Tubbo,” he laughed, resting his hand on the boy’s shoulder and squeezing. Tubbo looked out at the crowd of people below, searching for Niki’s reassuring gaze, but the woman was already gone.

Despite being in the company of the country, he felt loneliness pierce his heart.

“Tubbo, I have a _special_ job for you,” Schlatt looked down at him, the same smug grin on his face. He sounded as if he was speaking to a small child, condescending in a way.

”I want you to find Tommy,” his voice became hushed, as if telling a secret. Tubbo began to pull away as the president bent down to his level.

”And show him the door.”

It was supposed to be like a fairytale.

But Tubbo realized that not all stories had happy endings, and he was a fool for thinking otherwise.

* * *

“Tubbo? Tubbo, you in there?” Schlatt’s voice brought him out of his thoughts as he snapped his fingers in front of the boy’s face.

”Oh, yes, sorry Mister President,” he mumbled absently, but it seemed like the president wasn’t having it this time. He stared down at the boy with an unimpressed look.

”Can’t have my right hand man falling asleep at the wheel all the time, Tubbo!” He laughed, a heavy clawed hand coming to press uncomfortably on the boy’s clean suit.

“But really, Tubbo,” the grip tightened on his shoulder, Tubbo’s eyes tearing away from the windows of the president’s office and instead meeting his menacing gaze.

”You need to start putting your listening ears on.” He said firmly. Tubbo swallowed back his discomfort, but he couldn’t resist the flutter of his wings in reflex.

The action didn’t go unnoticed, instead, the president reached behind his shoulder to examine the sensitive wing. Tubbo let out a yell of surprise, tearing the wing away from the president.

Schlatt laughed at the action, merely stepping towards the boy. “Do I make myself clear?”

Tubbo hesitated for a moment, before answering quietly, “Yes, Schlatt.”

”What was that?” The president put his hand behind one ear, as if he couldn’t hear what he was saying before.

”Yes, Schlatt.” Tubbo repeated firmly this time.

”Great!” The hybrid clasped his hands together, going to sit back down in the chair at his desk, leaning backwards in it.

”As I was saying, Tubbo, you’ve got wings, yeah?” Schlatt nodded at the wings on the boy’s back. “So why don’t you use them?”

Tubbo shuffled back and forth on his heels for a moment. “They’re too small to get me more than a few feet off the ground at the moment. Still growing.”

He watched the president process this information, a low hum filling the silence of the room. “Well, you’d be able to find those traitors a lot quicker if you knew how to fly, wouldn’t you?”

At the mention of the “traitors”, Tubbo’s head tilted up to stare at the president. Now he was interested.

Schlatt wasn’t exactly wrong. If he did know how to fly, he would be able to help Wilbur and Tommy more effectively. Schlatt wanted him to kill them, but Tubbo knew from the beginning that he didn’t have it in him to do that.

Tubbo knew that they would be meeting again tonight, under the veil of night.

”I suppose that’s true,” The boy commented, curiosity in his gaze.

”Well, we better start getting to work then, hm?” The president stood up from his chair, striding towards Tubbo, putting an arm around his shoulder.

”Quackity, hold down the fort while me and Tubbo do something.” Tubbo, observant as he is, noticed the flash of jealousy in the Vice President’s eyes.

But despite that, the man simply uttered a “Yes sir” and the pair were on their way.

* * *

The pair made their way down the streets of Manburg, Tubbo’s heart dropping as he noticed how awfully different the place looked.

The bright and lovely place that he had called home was gone, the walls that protected them torn and stripped away, the flag that once rose over their new nation, burnt.

He caught a glimpse of Fundy, creating a new flag entirely. Tubbo’s eyes widened at the sight, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach.

Schlatt must have noticed his distress, as he tapped his shoulder. “What’s up, Tubs?”

The question shocked the boy into confusion; since when had Schlatt every cared about how he was doing? The man was a tyrant, who cared about nobody but himself.

“What’s with the shocked face?” He laughed. Tubbo hated the sound of his laughter.

”I just.. wasn’t expecting it, s’all. Didn’t think you cared.”

Schlatt looked at him for a moment with disbelief in his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I care for how my right hand man’s doing?”

”I dunno..” he mumbled, looking away from him. Tubbo couldn’t deny how the question made him feel appreciated. He hadn’t felt that in a long time.

Schlatt didn’t say anything else after that, instead arriving at a vast field after a few turns. “We’re here!” The president exclaimed.

”What are we doing here exactly?” Tubbo looked up at the man, confusion evident in his features. Schlatt simply pushed him forward, gesturing for him to stand a solid five feet away from him.

”You’re going to be learning how to fly today, Tubbo. I’ll make sure of it,” He hummed. “Stretch those wings out.”

Tubbo cautiously obliged, the sensitive wings stretching out on either side of him. He awaited further instruction from the other.

”Now, I want you to push as hard as you can up. Don’t disappoint me, Tubs,” If Tubbo was listening closer, he would’ve noticed the way that Schlatt’s voice darkened at the end.

“Here goes nothing,” he mumbled to himself, before flapping the wings on his back quickly as his shoes began to lift off of the ground.

He rose about three feet in to the sky before his muscles began to grow tired, and when he was just about to descend and take a break, Schlatt spoke up.

”Higher!” He demanded, and Tubbo knew that tone left no room for discussion.

So, Tubbo pushed further, gaining up to six feet now. His wings begged for him to drop, pain and exhaustion pulsing through them. He began to lose height the more exhausted he got.

”S-Schlatt- I can’t-“

_”Higher!”_

A steady growing group of citizens had stopped to watch the two, unknown to Tubbo. He could barely make out the sound of Niki’s voice over the beating of his heart and the pain in his wings.

”Schlatt-“ he whimpered, pushing upwards again, back to six feet in the air. His body shook with the effort.

_”Please-“_

”Don’t disappoint me, Tubs!”

”Schlatt, he’s had enough!” Niki cried out. Tubbo took a moment to admire the woman for her bravery. It was something that he had always looked up to her for.

The boy dropped to his knees, his suit dirtying as he hit the soft grass below. His wings folded behind him as he panted.

When Tubbo looked up, he noticed how two guards were holding Niki back from Schlatt, how the man barely paid any mind to her. He stared at Tubbo with disappointment in his eyes.

Tubbo hated when he disappointed people.

Schlatt strode towards him, looking down at the poor boy who lay in the grass below.

”Oh, _Tubbo..”_ he cooed, lifting the boy’s chin with an awfully gentle touch. “You let me down, Tubbo.”

”’m sorry..” He murmured, looking in to Schlatt’s eyes.

”I know, I know,” he helped the boy get to his feet, looking at his tarnished suit with distaste. “When I tell you to do something, you do it, okay?” His voice was soft and sweet, gentle.

Tubbo swallowed thickly and nodded.

”Don’t listen to him, Tubbo!” Niki’s sharp voice rang from the crowd, but before she could continue, Schlatt was already making his way towards her.

”I think some time in the _dungeon_ would do you good,” He snapped. Tubbo’s eyes widened, and he stood up, tugging Schlatt’s arm.

”Please, please don’t put her down there, please.” He begged, becoming almost frantic despite his exhaustion.

Schlatt watched him beg with disdain, before looking down at the boy with a slowly widening grin. “Whatever you say, Tubs,”

Niki opened her mouth again, but Tubbo shook his head. “I’m fine, really,” he murmured. “Please, just don’t get yourself in trouble.”

Schlatt watched the two exchange glances with each other, before throwing his hands up and turning away. “Well, I’ll be off now! Tubbo, when you return, get yourself a new suit while you’re at it. You’ve ruined yours.”

Tubbo simply nodded at him. The guards began to pull Niki away, causing Tubbo to let out a cry of protest.

”Where are you taking her?” His voice wavered slightly as he watched her struggle in their grip.

”Back to her home. Don’t want her causing anymore problems.” The guard stated, while Tubbo cast an apologetic glance at the woman.

Niki glared at them, tearing herself out of their grip. “I don’t need an _escort_ , thank-you-very-much.”

The group watching these events unfold eventually dispersed, leaving Tubbo standing alone in the grassy plain. The sun began to disappear over the hills, the orange glow fading in to a blue one.

The sunset reminded him of L’manburg. The faithful yellow glow, overtaken by a somber blue.

Tubbo knew that he had to get to the meeting spot soon, or else Tommy and Wilbur would worry. He didn’t want to disappoint anyone else today.

As he stood up from the grass below, he knew that he had to bring a few things that he took from Schlatt’s office, so he began his travel back to his home in a hurried pace.

As the boy walked through the quiet streets, he failed to notice a shadow in an alleyway beside him.

A hand grasped his face and pressed securely on his mouth to block out any noise, pulling him backwards in to the alleyway.

Tubbo let out a muffled shriek, before a familiar voice rang out behind him.

”Tubbo, calm down!”

He knew that voice from anywhere.

And when he turned around, he saw none other than Tommy Innit in front of him, and Wilbur Soot leaning on a wall behind him.


	2. Hear Me, Oh Woman That Has Gone Astray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo, Wilbur, and Tommy have a conversation. His heart cracks when it’s cut short.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bro i am so tired but i will write this chapter
> 
> wrote this note before I’ve started so let’s hope it’s not shit 🙏

“You alright?” Tommy’s concerned tone snapped him out of his daze, as the shorter boy looked up to meet the other’s blue eyes.

They were currently on the outskirts of Manburg, specifically in the forest around it. The podium loomed ominously behind the trio, reminding Tubbo of the election that had shook the Earth.

Tommy and Wilbur had quickly rushed out of Manburg’s territory after grabbing Tubbo, not wanting to stay there any longer than they needed to. Tubbo was grateful to see his two friends, but the risk factor was high.

If Schlatt caught him with the two, he didn’t know what he’d do. Tubbo had caught the word of the ram hybrid sentencing even people who looked at him funny to years in the dungeon, Tubbo could only imagine what he would do to a traitor.

_Nothing good._

It took a hand on his shoulder to shake him out of his thoughts once more, before he realized that he still hadn’t answered Tommy.

”Oh! Yes, I’m alright,” Tubbo offered him a smile, of which Tommy returned with a worried one himself.

”You don’t look alright, Tubbo,” Wilbur commented, gesturing to his wings that trembled when he stretched them out too far, and the quickly darkening bruise that Tubbo had gained from his fall.

The boy hesitated for a moment, before responding with his classic cheery tone; “I assure you, I’m okay. Schlatt just wanted to practice flight today,”

Immediately, guilt ran over the boy’s face when he saw Wilbur’s comforting and gentle eyes harden in to a cold fire at the mention of Schlatt’s name. Beside him, Tommy’s relaxed grip tightened in to a firm one.

An uncomfortable silence spread throughout the trio.

Tommy cleared his throat to break the silence. “Anyways, what’s new in L’man- Manburg?”

The slip up in his words didn’t go unnoticed by the boy, but he wouldn’t dare point it out to the taller.

“Manburg is doing okay. A lot of the people are.. _unhappy_ with the new government, to say the least.” Tubbo chose his words carefully, suddenly feeling like he was walking on thin ice around the pair. He had never felt that way before.

“Unhappy?” Wilbur finally spoke up with thinly veiled bitterness in his tone.

”Very. There’s been some, uhm.. _disagreements_ between the guards and and the people.” Tubbo continued.

“Disagreements” was an understatement.

_Protests in the street, shouting from a moderately sized group of people.  
_

_Schlatt’s hand on his shoulder as he brought him to the window looking over all of the angry people, all the people calling for their heads._

_”People will always disagree with your decisions, Tubbo,” Schlatt had told him, staring down at him with calm eyes despite the event that was taking place outside the window._

_Tubbo’s heart thumped faster with each cry of protest from the group. He looked up to meet Schlatt’s eyes, with terrified ones of his own._

_”You can either let them walk all over you, or you can put a stop to it,” Schlatt looked behind him to see a certain fox standing by the doorway. He nodded at him, receiving a nod back, before the fox vanished from the doorway._

_”They don’t know it yet, Tubs, but they are weak.”_

_Guards lined up outside of the White House, crossbows aiming at the protesters._

_”And in this country,”_

_”Schlatt, is this really necessary-?” Quackity’s uncertain voice as he looked up at the man. Tubbo didn’t even hear him walk in._

_”There is no room for weakness.”_

_Bodies fell to the ground, blood spraying all over the streets. The protesters began to run as soon as the first shot was fired, but the guards were persistent. They didn’t get far._

_Tubbo’s eyes widened in sheer terror, his blood running cold. He could’ve stopped this, he could’ve done something, he could’ve-_

_Schlatt’s grip tightened on his shoulder._ _“We’re_ _safe now, Tubs. It was us, or them.”_

_Us, or them._

_”S-Schlatt, we didn’t have to do-“_

_“What did I say, Tubbo? Tell me what I said.” It was clear that the man’s patience was running out._

_The boy swallowed, looking to Quackity for help, who was just staring at the massacre on the streets._

_”There is no r-room for weakness.”_

* * *

”-ubbo? Five in, five out, okay?” Wilbur’s grounding voice pulled him away from the memory, followed by Tommy’s frantic words that he couldn’t make out.

A wetness ran down his cheeks. _When had it started raining?_ He wondered. When he felt a cloth wipe at his eyes, that was when Tubbo realized that it wasn’t raining. _Oh, I’m crying._

”-gonna be okay, you’re Tubbo! You’re always okay.” Tommy’s voice spoke up against the pounding in his ears as he followed Wilbur’s instructions, realizing that he was kneeling on the ground, holding his suit with a white-knuckled grip.

His chest ached and as soon as he felt like the pressure was relieving, the image of the dead bodies laying on the street with arrows piercing their bodies brought the tension right back up again.

_Lifeless eyes staring up at the sky as Schlatt took him for a walk down the bloodied street. Whenever Tubbo looked up to avoid seeing the bodies, Schlatt pressed a clawed hand to his head and roughly pushed his head back down._

_The eyes no longer held a spark, no soul to be seen._

_Tubbo stepped off to the side to hurl. Schlatt rubbed and pat his back soothingly the whole way through._

* * *

  
”-coming! We have to-“

”We can’t just-“

”We need to _go,_ Tomm-“

* * *

  
Tubbo saw the two through blurred eyes, watching as someone grabbed the other’s wrist, pulling them away from him as they disappeared deeper and deeper in to the forest.

That only made Tubbo cry more.

 _You’re expendable,_ A dark part of his mind spoke up, one that he had never encountered before. _And that’s why they left._

”Tubbo?” 

Tubbo heard a certain Dutchman’s voice ring out behind him.

”Schlatt was..” he heard him trail off. Tubbo expected the fox to just leave him. Fundy wasn’t the kind soul he used to be ever since Schlatt came in to power.

The silence was filled with Tubbo’s quiet sobs, the awful, awful feeling of loneliness wrapping its icy claws around his heart.

He almost shrieked at the feeling of arms wrapping around his trembling body, and he looked up to see Fundy’s solemn face, his eyes closed as he held the poor boy while he cried.

”You’re going to be okay, Tubbo,” the Dutchman mumbled, whispering sweet nothings.

Tubbo had struggled at first, his wings hitting the fox’s chest from time to time, but Fundy didn’t budge.

Soon, the winged boy cried until he had no more tears left to cry. He sobbed until his throat hurt and his chest ached.

The boy didn’t know how long the pair sat there, all he knew was that when he finally fell in to a dreamless sleep, he saw the sun rising above the hills.

_Tubbo admired the sun for rising every morning._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poggers
> 
> i swear on my dog’s life that Niki and Fundy don’t get enough screen time. i am really enjoying playing around and shaping their characters in this story! more content on the way
> 
> please leave comments and kudos! they both inspire me to continue writing this story, and i enjoy reading your comments! <3


	3. Your Friends Will Always Just Be In Your Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fundy has blood on his hands, but Tubbo has always been able to see the best in people.
> 
> Schlatt punishes weakness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the amount of people who are viewing this fic is insane!! thank you so much everyone! it really means a lot :]

The fox's arms grew tired whilst he carried the teen, cradling him in his arms as he started his journey back to Manburg. Tubbo's wings shivered every now and then, but even as Fundy walked across the uneven and rocky path back to the town, the boy did not stir. Fundy wondered how long it'd been since he had a proper rest.

Judging by the dark bags under his eyes, the Dutchman assumed that it had to be a while.

Running a clawed hand through his fur, he let out a soft exhale, the cold freezing the breath. _He's just a kid,_ Fundy thought bitterly, looking at the remnants of the walls that once stood tall, _How did he get wrapped up in all of this?_

 _Because of Schlatt,_ His mind supplied, and a pang of guilt struck him harder than any fist could. _And you. You could've stepped in to help him, you could've tried to save him from this life. Instead, you stood to the side, and contributed to the chaos._

He recalled the way that Tubbo struggled against his embrace, fighting against him with the energy that the boy had left. Fundy didn't know why he had stayed, nor why he had come to hug the boy in the first place.

That was a lie.

Unlike most of the citizens of Manburg, Tubbo was one of the very few who had little to no blood on his hands, and Fundy would be damned if he let a man like Schlatt find him in this state and fix that. Schlatt saw his hesitance to kill as weakness, but Schlatt was wrong about a lot of things.

_And so was he._

Fundy didn't forget the way he mercilessly commanded the armed forces to reign fire on innocent protesters, he didn't forget the screams that haunted him every time he shut his eyelids, he didn't forget the wailing in the streets from the children who had lost their parent, or sibling, or friend.

He didn't forget the way the wounded crawled away from him in a meager attempt to escape the inevitable, and he could _never_ forget the way they pleaded for mercy, the way they pleaded for him to stop.

* * *

_The guards held their shields out, waiting for his command. Fundy appeared out from the corner of the White House, his eyes surveying the signs that they held out in protest. The fox admired how bold they were, to stand up to the President. They had surely heard the stories of his massacres, of the way he would break down those who opposed him, everyone did._

_His heart grew heavy with his guilt. The worst curse he was given was the knowledge that these people were going to die today, each and every one of them. There would be no survivors._

_And he was the one who had to pull the pin._

_Swallowing his guilt, he raised his paw to the air, "Ready!"_

_Crossbows loading behind the shields, the clicks of the deadly weapons ringing out through the clearing. Only the front line of the protesters heard, trying to get away from them. The jostling of the group kept them forward._

_"Aim!"_

_The presence of the crossbows made themselves known as the guards turned their weapons on the crowd. The protestors began to let out yells as they attempted to scramble away, but it was futile._

_"Fire!"_

_Fundy was numb when the bodies collapsed to the ground, when the darkened crimson blood spread across the armour of the cruel, when the streets were painted red with the blood of the innocent._

_Fundy was numb when walked down the street of corpses, only to witness a man's throat slit by an iron blade._

_Fundy was numb when the guards held a woman with an arrow embedded in her thigh, waiting for him to take the kill as one of the soldiers passed him a crossbow, the polished wood and metal weapon feeling heavy in his paw._

_Fundy was numb when the woman screamed, "Monster!"_

_When her skull was punctured by the hard force of the crossbow, blood splattering on to his pants and boots, Fundy didn't feel a thing._

_It was only when the Dutchman looked behind him and met the malicious eyes of the catalyst, he felt something that he hadn't felt in a long time, something that he hadn't felt since the war, specifically Eret's betrayal._

_It was a hot, boiling rage and anger that bubbled in the fox's eyes. It was the furious heat of lava, it was all of the hate in the world sealed behind two eyes._

_And Schlatt had the audacity to smile._

* * *

Fundy was pulled out of the bitter memory by the teen stirring in his grasp at last, drowsy sky blue eyes meeting solemn muddy brown ones. The boy mumbled something under his breath, before he began to jolt out of the fox's grip.

"You- why did you-?" The teen breathed, pushing away from the Dutchman and stumbling out of his grasp. Fundy let him go, saying nothing. His lips were pursed in to a thin line as he watched Tubbo's actions carefully.

"Because it was the right thing to do," the answer was simple. Fundy knew that nothing could make up for the blood on his hands, he would never be able to make it up to the families that he had destroyed, the children he had orphaned. Anyone in Schlatt's cabinet was cursed with the burden of death, sooner or later. The least that he could do is try to save Tubbo from the same fate.

The fox gauged Tubbo's reaction with cautious eyes, watching as the boy's outstretched wings began to fold, yet his muscles were still tensed and his eyes were still nervous. Fundy could understand why.

The Dutchman watched as the teen's mouth opened and closed. He could only imagine the confusion that he was going through right now, but they simply didn't have the time to talk.

"We need to get going, Schlatt's expecting us," Fundy said, stiffly walking away from the boy. The fox wasn't much for conversation nowadays, but Tubbo let out a noise of protest.

"No, wait- you didn't have to help me, but you did. Why?" Tubbo asked, stopping him in his tracks with a hand on the taller's shoulder. Fundy turned around to face the winged boy, repeating the same sentence he had before:

"Because it was the right thing to do."

"That doesn't really help," Tubbo commented, his tone unimpressed.

"We're going to be la-"

"We're already late!" Tubbo exclaimed, and Fundy let out a long sigh, realizing that he wasn't going to get out of this without explaining himself. 

His long ears twitched with annoyance, and a long silence spread out between the two, before the fox finally broke it.

"I saw who you were with, Tubbo," Fundy continued, watching Tubbo freeze in place. His eyes flashed with fear, before a boldness that Fundy hadn't seen in the boy before unearthed itself.

"So what? Are you going to tell Schlatt?" Whilst his tone was still careful, there was a spark of rebellion in his eyes. It reminded Fundy of the popular saying "you're either with me, or against me". He couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride at the sight of the younger sticking up for himself.

"I'm not going to tell Schlatt."

Clearly, that wasn't the answer that Tubbo was expecting, since the boy was opening his mouth, but shut it with a click.

"Listen, Tubbo, I'm not a good person," Fundy sighed, sitting on a small rock nearby. Tubbo looked at him with curious eyes. "I'm a monster, and I have enough blood on my hands that could paint lakes red. But you don't, and as long as I'm here, I'm not going to let Schlatt ruin you too."

Another lengthy silence hung in the air, Fundy's eyes turned towards the ground. _The same ground that he had killed on._

Fundy was expecting Tubbo to leave, or become angry with him, or continue to be terrified of him. He wouldn't blame the other if he did, the fox deserved a whole heap of pain to pay for his sins. He wouldn't blame Tubbo if he killed him right then and there.

But in true Tubbo-fashion, he didn't leave. He didn't become angry, he wasn't scared, and he wasn't violent.

Out of all of the scenarios that had run through his head, he wasn't expecting the teen to pull the older in to a hug. He wasn't expecting the boy to hug him tightly, but what surprised him the most were the words that followed the comforting embrace:

"I forgive you."

And that was when Fundy broke apart.

Fundy wasn't worthy of forgiveness. He wasn't worthy of this sheer kindness, he wasn't worthy at all. But here it was, offered to him, with the boy who's golden heart lit up even the darkest of nights.

"You shouldn't," Fundy choked out, his throat tightening and his eyes glassing with unshed tears.

"I know," Tubbo started softly, letting go of the older. "But I do."

And for the first time in a while, a smile spread across the fox's face.

* * *

The pair stood outside of Schlatt's office, Tubbo's hand ghosting over the handle. They had gotten the boy a new suit, due to his other one being dirtied, and Schlatt would be even more furious with them if the boy wasn't properly dressed.

Tubbo knew from personal experience that Schlatt wasn't much of a patient person. The bird hybrid had to always rush to finish his papers, or face the wrath of the ram hybrid, which was always harsh. Schlatt saw a lot of things as weakness, and inability to deliver quick and efficient work was one of them.

But with Fundy beside him, maybe he didn't have to face Schlatt's guaranteed anger alone.

Taking a deep breath, Tubbo opened the door, his shoes tapping against the clean and tidy floor. Papers were stacked upon the President's large desk, three swivel chairs sitting in the room. One behind the desk, and two in front of the desk.

Schlatt, however, was not sitting in his chair like usual. The scent of tobacco filled the room, followed by a puff of smoke. Fundy shifted uncomfortably beside him, his sensitive nose twitching at the strong smell.

"Well, well, well!" The ram hybrid turned around, cigar in his mouth. Immediately, unease spread throughout the bird hybrid's body as he watched the other stride towards the pair in graceful steps. A grin was wide upon the man's face, but Tubbo knew that that grin was anything but warm.

"My right hand man, and the captain! I was wondering when you two were going to show up!" Schlatt moved behind the two, budging his way in between them and resting his clawed hands on each of their shoulders. Tubbo met Fundy's calculating gaze with a nervous one of his own.

"It's funny, you know. I tell Fundy to go and find my right hand man, thinking he'd sniff you out in no time, Tubs. But you can imagine my surprise when it takes the entire _night_ for him to find you," Schlatt said joyously, his clawed hand digging in to the boy's suit. Tubbo whimpered as the grip only tightened.

"Are you gonna tell me what's up, kid? Or will I have to _make_ you tell me?" Gone was the warmth in his tone, replaced by a devilish tone as he stared the kid dead in the eyes. Tubbo was at a loss for words, searching for an excuse, but coming up short. Luckily, Fundy was there with him.

"It wasn't his fault, Schlatt," The Dutchman started smoothly. No wonder foxes were usually described as sly. "I kept him away. I needed him to help me with designing and setting up the new flag. Don't blame him for something that he didn't do."

Schlatt's grip loosened on the boy, as he mulled over the fox's words. A pregnant stillness hung in the air, and Tubbo's heart began to beat faster as he waited for the President's response.

"Well, that would explain it," he straightened his tie. "But I'm angry with you, Fundy,"

The fox and the teen shared a look.

"And when I'm angry,"

Tubbo's heart beat faster.

"I break things."

Schlatt grabbed the Dutchman by the collar of his shirt, throwing him in to his desk whilst paper flew across the floor. The Dutchman yelped as the man struck him once in the face, then twice in the ribs. Tubbo could've sworn he heard a crack.

The boy's eyes widened as he watched these events take place in front of him, his hands shaking as he fought with himself over what to do. When the fox's eyes locked with his, he saw a world of pain. Schlatt threw him to the ground, striking him in the ribs with his boot.

And that's when Tubbo snapped.

In a moment of pure adrenaline and anger, he slammed in to the side of the tyrant, Schlatt letting out a huff as he stumbled forward, losing his balance. "Let him _go_ , Schlatt!"

Laughter filled the office, high pitched and hysterical as the ram hybrid turned to look at the winged teen through narrowed eyes. The confidence he felt shriveled away with that one look. Tubbo was deathly quiet as the President moved up to him, while the boy backed in to a wall.

"Tubbo, Tubbo, Tubbo.." he chided, like he was talking down to him. "You don't know it yet, but _friends_ will _always_ disappoint you. Sooner or later, they'll turn on you. You can't let them get in your way."

"Yes, Schlatt," Tubbo whispered, his voice hushed and frightened.

Schlatt grabbed the boy's arm roughly and dragged him over to the heaving fox on the ground, who looked up at them with dreary eyes. Tubbo tried his best to wrench himself out of the ram hybrids grip, to no avail.

"Go on, prove to me that you understand." Schlatt smirked, watching the battle between wrong and right unfold behind Tubbo's eyes. He relished in the poor boy's conflict.

"Schlatt, I _can't-_ " Tubbo tried.

"You can, and you will." The ram hybrid growled, tugging the boy's arm once more. "All you have to do is kick. You'll get the hang of it, I'm sure," he made it sound like the easiest thing in the world, like swinging a baseball bat.

Tubbo stared up at him with defiant eyes, gritting his teeth. "No, I won't."

"You won't?" A booming laughter followed after, and Tubbo's self esteem dwindled away a little bit.

"I won't." Tubbo repeated. He wished he could put the words back in his mouth, but it was too late. A clawed hand struck down on his face, slicing his cheek open like butter. The man's ring sliced just under his eyelid, blood flying from the boy's face and on to the President's hand.

Tubbo wailed, staggering backwards from the blow as he clutched his face, wet and hot blood staining his hands. Schlatt didn't let him get away that easy, pulling him back forward once more, holding his hair with an iron grip.

"Do it!" He commanded, but Tubbo still refused. Schlatt growled, walking up to the fox and picking him up by the collar once more.

" _Fine,_ I suppose I will just have to do it myself." The tyrant raised his fist, prepared to bring it down back on Fundy's bloodied face again, before Tubbo's piercing cry stopped him from going through with the deed.

"Please- I'm sorry, I'm sorry Schlatt, I'll do it, I'm _sorry,"_ The teen pleaded, salty tears dripping down his face. Schlatt's eyebrows furrowed at the sight of the tears, as he dropped the Dutchman to the ground once more.

"Each tear you shed is another kick you have to deliver," Schlatt whispered in the boy's ear. "If you fail to obey, I'll do it myself."

Tubbo shut his eyes as he approached the fox, raising his foot. Schlatt poked his bloodied eyelids, forcing them open. The boy looked up at the President with a pleading expression, but he wasn't having it.

Tubbo's heart thumped faster as he saw the Dutchman's tired expression, the pain in his eyes as he began to pass out.

With the first kick, Tubbo was certain that he was going to Hell.

With the second kick, he knew that God would laugh when he tried to enter through the gates of Heaven.

With the third kick, Tubbo wondered what Tommy would think of him.

The process repeated, again and again, until Schlatt was finally satisfied. The ram hybrid held him in a tight embrace, telling him how proud he was of him, saying that he did the right thing. It was a total of ten kicks until Schlatt was satisfied.

Fundy lay in a heap of his own blood, his rasping breaths and coughs scarring the teen's mind forever. Tubbo would never be able to look at him the same way, he would never be able to look at anyone the same way ever again.

When the medics rushed in to help the injured fox under Schlatt's request, he saw Quackity standing in the doorway, horror in his eyes. Tubbo averted his own.

A cloth was offered to the boy for his bleeding cheek, but he didn't hear. His held felt like it was held underwater, like everything around him was muffled.

Sobs tore out of his throat, tears mixed with his own blood sliding down his face.

Schlatt was there to comfort him through it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dsfsgdh hope you enjoyed this chapter! fundy's character is honestly one of my favourite ones to write so far, but hopefully i can introduce mr eret soon :O
> 
> stay tuned! please leave kudos and a comment, comments really help me maintain interest in writing, and i find it fun to see your reactions/analyzations to each chapter!


	4. Trust Me, They'll Die or Leave Either Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotional damage is just as harmful as physical damage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS BABYYYY
> 
> tw // implied underage drinking, emotional manipulation, dissociation, please stay safe!

The night used to be a friend to Tubbo. It was a sheer sense of peace that he basked in, engulfed in the silence and serenity of the moment when the sun fell below the cliffs and white pebbles danced across the dark abyss. The night was familiar, comforting, and best of all - quiet.

It was when all citizens of L'manburg were snug in their beds after a hard day's word of labour and chasing the dreams and fairytales that started the revolution.

It started off as an innocent dream, a thought that danced around in a child's mind when they were asleep.

But the dream was powerful, the fairytale was convincing, and the hope was stronger than anything. It wasn't a simple dream, nor a simple thought - innocent at the beginning, yes, but it grew in to something moving, it rose above its own station and planted the thought of freedom in each of their heads.

The thought was intoxicating - that maybe, they, too, might get to frolic across the field without Dream breathing down their necks - that maybe, they, too, might finally get to let go of that breath they had all been holding on to ever since they were born here.

It was ironic, really. How Dream, the warrior that was feared across the whole land, was the killer of this dream. It was barely a battle, the revolution, when George, Dream, and Sapnap had destroyed the caravan without mercy.

It wasn't a war, it was simply Dream reminding them of how futile their efforts were, and how this dream would _never_ be achievable.

Yet Wilbur had continued, ever the optimist. He'd kept pushing forward, encouraging everyone to fight a battle they couldn't win. Tubbo looked up to him for his bravery, he always did.

But when Wilbur and Tommy were expatriated, it's like the switch flipped inside the elder's mind. When the boy had met up with them to exchange information previously, instead of being met with the warm gaze that the brunette had always worn when addressing him, he was fixed with a cold and calculating stare that sent uneasiness up the boy's spine.

It was peculiar, how much he'd missed in such little time.

Tommy had assured him everything was alright, but Tommy was also a lying liar who lies, so he took what he said with a grain of salt.

All the words of 'never leaving him behind' and reassurance that had been given to the spy was in question now, ever since he had left Tubbo _literally_ in the dirt.

It was unfair to blame Tommy for what had happened since then - the.. _event_ that had taken place ever since the blonde and he last spoke. It wasn't Tommy's fault, not at all, because the blonde wasn't there. He wasn't there to witness how Tubbo had brutally beaten the Dutchman, he wasn't there to see how Schlatt had laughed a telling laugh; one that had said _'look at you, look at what you've done, do you still think you're some sort of hero now?'_

Guilt tossed and turned in the boy's stomach, burying deep inside of him, coiling around his heart and squeezing. A part of Tubbo was glad that Tommy wasn't there, so he didn't have to witness what a villain and a monster he was, what he was turning in to - or was he turning in to anything? Maybe he had this inside of him, the whole time, and he didn't want to admit it?

Maybe he was deceiving his friends this whole time, the wicked trick working so awfully well that he managed to deceive himself in the process.

Bile rises in his throat, but he swallows it down. He can't vomit over his suit, Schlatt would be _furious_ with him. He couldn't step out of line any more, not since what had happened with Fundy. It was too risky.

Ever since the _event_ , Schlatt had insisted for Tubbo to have his own room in the White House. When he had tried to protest against it, tried to tell the goat man that ' _oh, but who would take care of the bees?_ ' Schlatt had just waved him off. Telling him that he could move them to the garden if he needed them _that_ badly. So, deciding that it would be better for other's well being not to piss the man off, he had accepted, albeit begrudgingly.

Of course, he just _had_ to be positioned right beside Schlatt's room, and his office just down the hall. It was like he could never escape the president, and honestly, it was beginning to feel like he'd never be able to escape his clawed grasp.

But Tubbo still had hope, and as long as he had that, he would be _fine._

His trance was broken by the door flying open, the wood slamming against the wall with an ear-shattering bang that made the boy jump and yelp at the same time, snapping back to reality. He whirled around, eyebrows furrowed, before his face paled at the sight of the man he feared to see in the doorway.

It was obvious he was intoxicated, the stench of tobacco more pungent than usual. The boy had an inkling he was drunk, too, judging by the half-full bottle in his hand.

"You're fuckin' late," Schlatt slurs, walking over to him. Tubbo fixed him with a stony gaze, willing himself to be still as the man drew nearer. "I told you to be at the meeting at 7:40 sharp. What time is it now, Tubs?"

_The nickname didn't feel right anymore, and the brunette didn't think it ever would._

"It's-" he swallows, lifting his wrist to look down at the time on his watch. His wings tremored, and even if Schlatt was inebriated, it was clear that the horned man had noticed by the way he gripped one of the boy's wings with a clawed hand.

The grip wasn't friendly, nor was it gentle, and his brain screamed _danger_.

"It's eight o' clock, Schlatt," His blood ran cold as he looked at the time - _how long had he stared in to space?_

 _Stupid, stupid_. He should be more on top of this. Now, he has to face whatever consequence he's given. _Stupid, stupid_.

The man hummed thoughtfully, and Tubbo became more and more aware of how the grip on his wing continued to tighten, becoming painful. Tubbo winced, his body trembling with the effort to keep still and not to flee the scene.

"It's okay," Schlatt let go of the boy's wing, surprisingly. The fear slowly began to dissipate and form in to confusion and mixed emotion. "I didn't attend the meetin' either, must'a hit the bottle too hard, hey?"

He pats Tubbo's back _way_ too forcefully, pushing the boy forward. The drunk man bursts out laughing, and a hot wave of shame runs through him.

He couldn't defend himself, because that could compromise the mission, but he couldn't become too _buddy-buddy_ with Schlatt, because that would make him seem like a traitor. It was a constant dilemma, fighting between what he should and shouldn't do.

It wasn’t like he would be friends with Schlatt, anyways. _No,_ he thinks, _I would much sooner die._

As long as he can keep the illusion of a friend, he’d be alright. However, since the _event_ , Tubbo was the furthest from _alright_.

Schlatt didn’t exactly look very _alright_ either _,_ especially at this moment. His red tie, colour akin to blood, was hung loosely around his neck, his pale white shirt uneven and the his coat tattered. The beer bottle loosely hung in his hand was concerning, how it wouldn't be above Schlatt to snap and become hostile. The pungent scent of alcohol and drugs made his nose crinkle, especially when he got too close and caught a whiff of his breath. His jeans were dirty, looking like he had taken a walk in the forest and come back disheveled and unhinged.

He was, to put it lightly, absolutely _hammered_.

"We should get back to your office Schlatt, I can dim the lights and pull down the shutters so it doesn't give you a headache. I can fetch an aspirin for you too, this hangover's probably going to be a hard one," The boy recited blandly.

It wasn't like this was the first time the president had arrived intoxicated, and Tubbo had made an effort to memorize his post-drunk routine.

"Yeah- yeah, that sounds good," No thank you's, per usual. It wouldn't kill him to have manners once in a while.

Manners have never been Schlatt’s forte anyways, so Tubbo doesn’t dwell too much on it.

Schlatt waves Tubbo over to him, and the boy holds the man's arm up. Helping a drunk president is way more difficult than one would think - or maybe that's just Schlatt, because even though the man asked for his assistance, he was the most stubborn of stubborn people. If there was a king of stubbornness, Schlatt would be wearing the crown.

He’d even requested a crown once before, funnily enough.

The two traipse through the prim and tidy hallways, the lingering gazes of guards burning holes in to the back of Tubbo's head as they saunter by. The winged kid has always worried about what the public thinks of him, and if he is good enough in their eyes. It may be unhealthy, but it's a rather difficult habit to break, especially since it's always in his mind.

Fretting that nothing he does is ever good enough.

The president, is the opposite of him. He's confident in every move he makes, and if people don't agree, then he deals with them with an iron fist. Tubbo doesn't look up to him, not at all, not since what ~~Tubbo had done~~ _Schlatt_ had made him do. A sudden urgency gripped his heart as he remembered the scarring event, and he itched to ask about the fox's health.

"Is Fundy doing okay?" Tubbo blurted out, not meeting the man's gaze. He couldn't.

It was like a bomb dropped, the aftermath cascading and swallowing everyone in it’s radius.

Schlatt’s features morphed in to something displeased, as if he was disgusted that the boy had even dared to ask that question.

The man’s face deepened in to a frown, and Tubbo knew that he had made a mistake.

"What?" Schlatt buzzed, belching after the inquiry was made. "Fuck you mean, how's Fundy doin'? You see what you did to 'im? Bastard's lucky he isn't dead, after what you did. I mean, I told you to hit him, but you were _brutal_ , went above 'n beyond my expectations," He slurred.

The brunette stiffened, a heavy weight settling in his gut as the door to Schlatt's office was pushed open. He wished he could take back the question, but that's just what a guilty person would do, right? They'd run away from the truth, and run away from the sheer fact that this was their doing.

And this, what he did to Fundy, was precisely _his_ _own doing._

"I- no, no- you told me to hit him. I wouldn't have hit him if you didn't tell me to, you know that," His voice shook slightly, and Tubbo felt weak in the knees. The goat man stumbled towards the countertop of the desk, barking out heaving laughs that rang through the winged boy's ears. He didn't want to talk about this, he didn't want to think about it, he just wanted to _forget_ that it ever happened-

"'Course, I told you to hit him, but I never said how hard you should hit him. You're the one who chose to break his ribs, you're the one who chose to hospitalize that poor man, right?" A crooked grin was spread across his face, and he turned to look back and the wide-eyed kid standing not five feet away from him. Tubbo shivered, and distress was riddled across his features.

Intimidation was one of Schlatt’s best ways to ensure that nobody stepped out of line. Tubbo hadn’t experienced it firsthand, but now he _knows._

He _knows_ that there’s a possibility, _always_ a possibility, that he might not make it out alive each morning, and that’s _terrifying._

The winged boy yelps when the man suddenly whirls on him, stomping right up to his face and breathing his awful breath right in front of his nose.

"Just admit it," The horned man moved towards him, jabbing a finger in to his chest, whilst the winged boy backed away from the president. The beer bottle glimmered as rays of light poured through the windows.

"You wanted to hurt him, _didn't_ you? You wanted to fuckin' bruise him, wanted to make him _bleed_. You hate him, _don't_ you? Tell me you _hate_ him!" The sudden aggression was unexpected as Tubbo was backed in to a wall, and his arms lifted up just in case.

Droplets of spit fly on to his cheek, but the man is too close for comfort, _too close_ _,_ and Tubbo finds himself incapable of breathing.

_Do you hate him, Tubbo? You barely know him, but look what you did to him. Are you the monster that Schlatt’s exposing?_

He can feel his thoughts battle against each other, one defending him, the other relentlessly belittling him. Perhaps he deserves it.

But no, how could he betray Fundy? He couldn’t, surely Fundy wouldn’t have seen it that way. Surely Fundy knew that he would’ve died if Tubbo didn’t step in.

"No- I don't hate him, he's my _friend_ ," Tubbo's eyes were glassy with unshed tears as he swallowed back a sob at how the goat hybrid howled with laughter at the statement, placing a heavy hand on the boy's shoulder.

Schlatt doesn’t buy it, not one bit. His face one of amusement, features laced with a bitterness and a matter-of-factness.

Tubbo flinches before the words even come.

"What a great friend you are!" He erupts, and Tubbo's face reddens with shame. "Tell me kid, what type of friend beats a man when he's on the floor?"

But he shudders when the words finally do.

The taunts, the teases, they burn and sting, but deep down, he reckons that it's true. That's why they hurt so much.

There's a lengthy pause of silence that befalls both of them, the bird hybrid's eyes downcast. The marble floor interests him more than this conversation, it makes him forget about the world around him for a moment, how smooth the floor is. He wonders what the floor would think if it was sentient, after all, it did get to hear about all of the events that happened in this room. It got to hear about the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Something Tubbo was too much of a coward to face.

Tubbo is observant. He knows enough about Schlatt to form a general idea of their personality, and he knows that the goat hybrid isn't necessarily cruel, but brutally honest in his words. He tells people what they want to ignore, and he doesn't give a damn about what they think about him.

A dangerous man to elect as president, but here he is, showing off his character in all of it's glory.

His words hurt, but Schlatt would never say something that he doesn't mean. It's hard to face the truth, and even harder to accept it.

"I need to be better," Tubbo whispers, and the whisper barely reaches Schlatt's ears, but the man turns around to face him, half-empty beer bottle in hand. "How do I be _better_?" His voice is desperate, shaking. Tears slide down his face.

Schlatt smirks, striding over again and yanking the kid's hand up. He shoves the glass beer in to Tubbo's hand, and closes the boy's fingers around it.

" _Medication_ ," he slurs, eyes drowsy and unfocused. "Go crazy, kid, I need'a lay down,"

And with that, the door slips closed, and Tubbo is left alone in the room.

He looks down at the bottle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYO SOMEONE GET THAT BOTTLE AWAY FROM HIM RN I AIN’T PLAYING
> 
> wooooh that was a doozy
> 
> inspiration is coming back for this fic!! thank you to roddiimus for the comment on chapter three, it was really the one that motivated me to come back to this!
> 
> let me know what you think in the comments!!


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